


Past Comes Back to Haunt You

by aumontalc



Category: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2018-08-29 08:48:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8483071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aumontalc/pseuds/aumontalc
Summary: Modern Day Lizzy/Darcy. Six years ago Will and Lizzy met during summer vacation. They fought and bickered the whole summer. Years later, they meet again at different stages in their lives. Lizzy's a teacher and Will's engaged.





	1. Chapter 1

Will Darcy's eyes took in the cluster of school buildings. Built in the early 1900s, the Hampden School was a brick monstrosity covered in ivy. He had never heard of it until the headmaster had approached him last month asking for a sizable donation. According to the information gathered by his assistant, the Hampden School had been established by descendants of the town's founder to provide an exemplary education not only for the children of wealthy families in town but also to those students who come from less than fortunate circumstances. The school had recently fallen on hard times due to a slump in the economy. Well off families were still able to send their children to the school, but the scholarship fund that allowed half of the student body to be from an underprivileged background had severely dwindled.

Will did not usually visit the places that his organization donated to, but he had made an exception for the Hampden School. Shortly after agreeing to donate funds to the school, Will had learned that Elizabeth Bennet was a member of the faculty. She was currently the Junior and Senior English teacher. Elizabeth Bennet. Lizzy Bennet. It had been years since he had seen her, but he would never forget her. A gorgeous brunette, slightly less attractive than her older sister, Lizzy had the wit and vivacity of no other woman he had ever met. And those eyes, they still haunted him in his sleep.

They had met six summers ago on a trip he had taken with his friend Charles and his family to Bar Harbor. Both men had just finished law school and were in need of a much deserved vacation. Their first weekend in town they had been invited to a cookout thrown by some of the locals. The people of Maine could be a little rustic for his taste. Hell, most of them bought their entire wardrobe from L.L. Bean. The most refined of people, they were not. But although Will had not been impressed by Lizzy at their first meeting, she had still managed to make an impact on him. A week later when he saw her again he attempted to rectify the mess he had made of their first interaction, but it was to no avail. Her bad opinion of him had been set in stone which had made what had happened at the end of the summer all the more surprising.

After three months of bickering and obvious disdain for each other, it had all come to a head one evening. His friend Charles and her sister Jane had just broken up while still being clearly in love. Lizzy, of course, had blamed him for it. It hadn't been all his idea. Charles's sisters had been in on it too. But that didn't matter to Lizzy. She'd been looking for a fight and man, did they ever have one. They argued for hours. She, claiming that he was stuck up and an elitist. And he, saying that she was prejudiced and never allowed anyone a second chance. In the end, he ended up admitting his feelings for her. Overcome with the intensity of the moment, he had grabbed her and kissed her. Much to his shock and pleasure, she had returned the kiss. It had felt so good that he hadn't wanted it to stop and it didn't until the next morning when they had woken up next to each other, naked.

The night he had spent with Lizzy Bennet had been perfection. It had been the first time in his then 26 years that he'd made love to someone that he was actually in love with. He had woken with a smile on his face and had gently kissed her awake. It was just the beginning of their relationship for him and he did not intend for it to end after only one night. He wanted her to move into his Manhattan apartment and he planned on helping her transfer to Columbia so she could finish her senior year. He told her he knew things were moving fast but there was no reason to put off being together. She was it for him.

He had told her all these things and more, only to feel like a complete idiot later that same morning. He discovered that Lizzy did not return his affections in any way, had no desire to move in with him and would never even dream of moving to a big city like New York. She was quite content with where she was she had told him. She didn't regret their night together but she didn't plan on repeating the experience.

Will had gone back to New York with his heart in shambles. He had moved on since that summer. He was even engaged now to his friend Charles's sister, Caroline. But for some inexplicable reason, he wanted to see Lizzy, see how she was doing. And on some subliminal level he wanted to show her that he was fine, that he had moved on without her, that any chance she had with him was completely gone.

* * *

Lizzy Bennet was at her desk grading her AP English Language students' essays. Some were quite well written, most were average, and only a few that were truly terrible. She was hoping to finish early because she had plans that evening.

She lifted her head when she heard a knock on her door and immediately caught sight of her principal, Mr. Lucas, and a man she had not seen in a very long time, Will Darcy.

As her eyes roved over his person, Lizzy tried her best to stave the fear in her heart. Everything is going to be all right she told herself. Everything is going to be OK. Plastering a fake smile on her face, Lizzy greeted the two men. "Hello, can I help you Mr. Lucas?"

"I was just giving our new donor a tour of our school. I'm sure you remember Will Darcy, Lizzy."

"Yes. I think we met a few summers ago," Lizzy replied nonchalantly as if meeting him hadn't changed her entire life. As if she hadn't most unwillingly fallen in love with him. As if he hadn't given her the one thing in the world that was most precious to her.

A frown burrowed Will's features for a moment but was quickly wiped away and replaced with his usual unreadable expression. He was in his early 30s now, but was still as handsome and brooding as ever. She literally struggled to breathe when he was near.

"It's good to see you again, Miss Bennet. It is still Miss Bennet, isn't it?"

A buzzing sound went off as Mr. Lucas took his phone out of his pocket. "Drat, there's a parent who needs to speak to me in the office. Lizzy, do you think you could finish the tour for me?"

"Well, I, um..." Lizzy struggled in vain to find a way to refuse. In the end, she replied with a simple "Yes, of course."

"I appreciate this Lizzy dear. I'll cover your lunch duty tomorrow to return the favor. Well, I must be off. Can't keep parents waiting, you know," Mr. Lucas said before rushing out the door.

"Mr. Darcy, if you'll follow me..."

Lizzy began a tour of the building showing Will the library, gymnasium, and the state of the art auditorium.

"As you can see we offer the best technology and resources money can buy for our students. It is not only the rich who benefit but also those who without the funding of private donors would never receive an opportunity such as this. In the five years that I have worked here, I have seen countless deserving students graduate and receive scholarships from colleges all around the U.S. We believe in changing lives here. We are, after all, educating our future leaders."

"You never answered my question," Will said out of the blue, completely ignoring her over-rehearsed sales pitch.

"I'm sorry what question was that?"

"Are you still _Miss_ Bennet?"

"I don't believe that's any concern of yours," Lizzy snapped. "Now, if you'll look over here, you'll see our technology resource room. Each student receives an iPad to complete class work."

"I do not understand your sudden hostility," Will said in a soft, but intimidating voice. "Considering our past, if anyone should be holding a grudge, it should be me."

She was hostile? She was holding a grudge? Well, if she was, she was certainly within her rights. What kind of man didn't respond to a woman's urgent phone calls and messages? Especially after he had confessed just weeks prior his undying love and affection for that woman. Yes, she was mad and had every right to be.

"I'm sorry if you think I'm being hostile. We can conclude the tour any time you like," she replied.

"Not so fast. I still haven't seen the elementary building. Mr. Lucas told me they recently installed an aquarium."

"Follow me and I'll take you there."

* * *

Will walked the hallway of the Hampden Elementary School. The walls were covered with student work. It was far more colorful than the high school had been. It seemed like such a bright and happy place yet when they'd stepped through the door a noticeable change had fallen over Lizzy. She was far less talkative and she seemed to rush through the tour.

In the end, he chalked it up to nervousness at seeing him. It wasn't like the last time they had seen each other was all fun and games. It had been awkward and painful, at least for him.

"And this is the kindergarten wing," Lizzy quickly mentioned as her steps flew even faster down the hall. "If you'll follow me this way, I'll show you the cafeteria."

As he followed after her, his eyes flickered on the name above a door. Ms. J. Bennnet it read. "Wait a minute, Lizzy, does your sister Jane work here too?"

"Yes, but I think she's already left to go home," Lizzy answered, a slight note of panic in her voice.

Just at that moment, the door swung open and a small boy in a navy blue uniform walked out. Looking at Lizzy, he smiled, "Mama, I thought I heard you. We gonna go get ice cream now like you promised?"

Will couldn't help but stare at the young child whose features looked so decidedly like his own.


	2. Chapter 2

_Six years ago_

"Hurry Lizzy!" Lydia cried. "Or we're going to be late for the Merryweathers' cookout. I don't want to miss it. I hear there are going to be college boys there."

"One more year of high school and I will be surrounded by college boys all of the time," Kitty gushed.

"You don't have to brag about it," Lydia snapped at her sister. Suddenly, she reached for her sister's hair. "Hey, let me borrow that gold headband of yours. It will look perfect with my tank."

"No! It's mine. Mom, tell her that she can't take my headband," Kitty whined to Mrs. Bennet.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Kitty! Let her borrow your blessed headband. She'll give it back to you later. Lizzy! Jane dear! Are you almost ready?" their mother called.

In a room upstairs, Lizzy rolled her eyes as she finished pulling her hair into a pony tail. Hearing the argument being had downstairs, she exchanged a knowing smile with her older sister Jane. All of this was very typical. Just another day in the Bennet household. But this would not be the norm for much longer. Her beloved Jane had just graduated from college and had plans to take a job teaching Kindergarten a few towns away in Hampden. How she would miss the simple days of their childhood and adolescence! The carefree and lazy days of summer, the exciting and busy autumn school days, the festive holiday seasons, and the new beginning of each spring. Those days were almost at an end. Even though her sister would not be far away things would be forever changed. Soon they would be getting married, having children. It was just too much change. Lizzy was not a fan. She liked things the way they were.

"Oh, Kitty and Lydia are at it again," Jane observed. "I do hope we can have some peace on the car ride over."

"Why don't I just drive us there? That way we can avoid any unnecessary drama."

"I kind of want us to go all together. This is my last summer home after all. Then I'm officially a grown up and have to pay bills and all the other unpleasant things adults have to deal with."

"Fine. But you're gonna be sorry ten minutes down the road." Applying the last bit of lip gloss, Lizzy smacked her lips and turned towards her sister. "OK. I think I'm ready. Let's go."

* * *

Lizzy stared out the window as her father drove the 10 miles to the Merryweathers' beach house. No decent conversation could take place with all the bickering taking place between her younger sisters and on occasion her mother and father. She had forgotten to bring a book or her iPod so she contented herself with counting the houses that passed instead.

She couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. Three months was such a short time to spend with her sister before she moved. Not only that, but she was starting to feel lonely. So many of her college friends were getting engaged or planning their weddings. She felt left out. She had gone on dates of course but had never been in a serious relationship. She was still a virgin which didn't bother her much. She knew she could only sleep with a man she was in love with, but she was starting to doubt if she would ever fall in love. Lizzy mentally shrugged her shoulders. If it was meant to be, it would happen. If not, she would travel the world and live life as she pleased.

* * *

Plate of food in hand, Lizzy sat next to Jane on her blanket on the sand. A wistful smile was on Jane's face.

"What are you smiling about?" Lizzy asked.

"Oh, nothing." Jane said as she quickly averted her gaze, but not before Lizzy caught what or rather who she was looking at.

"Hmm, he doesn't look like nothing to me," Lizzy teased. "Do you know him?"

Jane shrugged. "Not really. I know his name is Charles Bingley. I met him last week when I helped dad at the hardware store. He's renting a house here for the summer and one of the light switches wasn't working."

"And he's perfectly dreamy and everything you could ever wish for in a man." Lizzy said as Jane glared at her and playfully hit her on the arm. "Oh, look! He's coming this way."

Jane hurriedly ran her fingers through her long blonde hair and adjusted the bottom of her shirt. "Do I look OK?" she whispered.

"Of course, you always look good. You are the only Bennet girl blessed with beauty."

"Oh hush, Lizzy. You're very pretty too and you know it."

By the time Jane had finished grooming herself, Charles and another man had walked over. One man was tall and blond with a ready smile. The other man was quite possibly the most handsome man Lizzy had ever seen. He was taller than his friend with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Man, she hoped he wasn't the one her sister had a crush on.

"Jane, is it? It's me Charles. We met at the hardware store the other day," said the blond man, causing Lizzy to breathe a sigh of relief. The tall, dark and handsome man was still available.

"Yes, I remember," Jane said, smiling. "Glad you could make it tonight."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world once I knew you were coming. But where are my manners? Let me introduce you to my friend Will Darcy. Darcy, this is Jane and..."

"This is my sister Lizzy," Jane supplied.

"Nice to meet you Lizzy," Charles replied.

Lizzy noticed that Charles's friend failed to say anything, just nodded his head in acknowledgment. What was wrong with him? Was he mute?

"Charles!" They heard a woman's voice call. Looking in the direction of where the voice came from, Lizzy noticed a tall, brunette woman with an annoyed expression on her face.

"If you'll excuse us," Charles said. "It looks like my sister needs to speak with me. The band's getting ready to play. When I come back in a bit would you like to dance?"

Jane smiled and flashed her baby blues. "Of course."

As the two men walked away, Lizzy turned to her sister and whispered, "He's cute. His friend's not too bad looking either, but a little strange and a little too quiet."

A permanent smile seemed stuck on Jane's face. "Maybe his friend is just shy. But oh Lizzy, isn't Charles just wonderful?"

"Yes, indeed he is."

* * *

"Girls," Mrs. Bennet whispered conspiratorially. "I saw the two young men you were speaking to. I must say well done. You picked the two most eligible bachelors at the entire party. They both just finished Harvard Law. Apparently they're spending the summer in Bar Harbor for a much needed vacation before going back to work in New York. Your aunt told me that they're both from very wealthy families. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Jane could wind up marrying one of them? It would be nice to finally have a bit of financial security. Your father isn't the best at keeping his business afloat."

"Mom, Dad tries his best," Lizzy admonished. Her father's failing hardware store was just another sore spot in the miserable marriage her parents had. Lizzy often wondered why they didn't get a divorce. They were both clearly unhappy.

"Well, he could try harder is all I say, but never mind, it looks like the two men are headed your way again Jane," Mrs. Bennet exclaimed in a barely concealed whisper.

"Hello again Jane, I'm here to claim that dance you promised me," Charles smiled, showing off his dimples.

Jane nodded. "Yes, of course. Let me introduce you to my mother, Mrs. Bennet. Mom, this is Charles Bingley and his friend Will Darcy."

"Nice to meet you ma'am," Charles said, offering his hand for Mrs. Bennet to shake.

Will said nothing again, just nodded that confounded head of his in reply.

"Wow, handsome and polite. I think we have a winner here. Well, I won't keep you two. Go ahead. Dance," Mrs. Bennet ordered, shooing the two towards the gazebo where other couples were already dancing. "And you, Darcy is it? My daughter Lizzy loves to dance as well and she doesn't have a partner at the moment. What do you say? Why don't you two dance?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Bennet, but I don't really dance."

"Let this be one of the times that you do."

"If you'll excuse me..." he said before jetting off in another direction.

"Well, I've never," Lizzy's mother huffed. "The rudeness of that man! Well at least Jane has found someone with good manners. And he's a nice looking man to boot. If I were twenty years younger, I'd give Jane a run for her money."

Lizzy rolled her eyes and settled in for a long night.

* * *

"Hey Darcy, you busy?" Charles asked, walking up to his friend.

"No. I am bored. Out of my mind," Will replied. He couldn't believe he'd allowed his friend to trick him into coming here. Who had invited them to this shindig anyway?

"Well, I know just the thing to cure your boredom. They're about to start the three legged race. Jane and I are paired up, but Jane's worried because Lizzy doesn't have anyone to race with her."

"Lizzy? Her sister? The one who looks like a tomboy?"

"She's a lovely girl."

Will shot a look at his friend. "She's OK looking. Nothing special. Definitely not as hot as that Jane chick you're hanging out with tonight."

"Come on, Darcy. Do you always have to be such a prick? Loosen up. Be a little spontaneous for once in your life."

Will rolled his eyes. "I don't think running in a three legged race counts as being spontaneous. You go. Hang out with Jane. See where that leads. I'm going to stay with your sisters. I'm not really interested in rubbing elbows with a bunch of flannel wearing rednecks on their day off from lobstering."

"Fine. Your loss," Charles shot as he headed off to find Jane.

Just as soon as his friend left. Will heard a giggle nearby. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed Jane's sister, Lizzy. Crap! She must have overheard the whole conversation. She didn't look upset though. She looked amused. Her eyes glanced in his direction for a split second. Laughter and a bit of devilishness lay behind those brown orbs of hers. In the space of a few seconds, the tomboyish girl had become an intriguing enigma.

* * *

"Then he said, I'm not really interested in rubbing elbows with a bunch of flannel wearing rednecks on their day off from lobstering."

"Oh, Lizzy," her friend Charlotte gasped in between giggles. "You see the humor in everything."

"I have to or else I will drive myself mad. I've always heard that handsome men are rarely charming. Guess it's true in his case."

"But he is very handsome, isn't he? Deep down I bet you wish he wasn't such a jerk."

Lizzy smiled wistfully. "You caught me." As funny as the whole situation was, it still stung that he had no interest in her. He'd caught her eye from the moment she saw him. Apparently, he hadn't had the same reaction. Oh, well, she thought to herself, shrugging her shoulders. It wasn't like she would ever see him again.


	3. Chapter 3

_Still six years ago_

"No! No! No!" Jane moaned as her car began to slow down. "I can't believe this is happening again."

Lizzy looked over her sister's shoulder and noticed the Check Engine Soon light next to the speedometer. She sighed. Jane never should have bought this car. It was a total lemon, always breaking down. Fortunately, Jane had managed to pull to the side of the road. Unfortunately, they were stuck in the middle of nowhere, at least 20 miles from any town and the sun was already starting to go down.

"Great," Lizzy said. "It's too late to call someone to tow this clunker to a mechanic. We'll just have to call dad and have him pick us up."

Jane slumped over the steering wheel. "What possessed me to buy this car? I can't wait until I get my new job and can afford something decent."

As Lizzy took her phone out of her purse, she and Jane heard the sounds of a car slowing down. Looking out the back window, she saw a black Lincoln Navigator come to a stop. The doors opened and much to her surprise, Charles and Will, the two guys they'd met last weekend, stepped out of the SUV.

"Oh my goodness," Jane gasped. "It's Charles! What's he doing here?"

Lizzy shrugged. "Beats me, but I'm glad somebody is here to help us."

The men walked up to the driver's side. Jane manually lowered the window. Looking up at the men, she smiled. "You don't know how happy we are to see you."

"What happened?" Charles asked.

"It's my car. The engine has problems sometimes. I don't think I'm going to be able to get it fixed tonight. All the mechanic shops will be closed."

"Well, you're in luck," Charles said, smiling. "The house I'm renting is only like a mile away. I'll call AAA and have them tow it to my house. Then, tomorrow you can get it towed to a mechanic. In the mean time, you could spend the night over at my house."

"I'd hate to impose..."

"It's no imposition at all. I'd love to have you over," Charles insisted. "I'll make the call. Why don't you and Lizzy start getting the stuff you need out of the car?"

"OK. Thanks."

As soon as he'd walked off, Lizzy swatted her sister on the arm. "What do you think you're doing?"

Jane looked back at her, slightly in shock. "I'm taking him up on his offer of help."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Lizzy asked, trying to be the voice of reason. "I mean how well do we really know these guys?"

"It's gonna be fine Lizzy. It's not like people don't know who they are. If we go missing, they'll know who to look for. Plus I really like Charles. I'd like to get to know him a little better. Please, Lizzy, go over there with me?"

Lizzy sighed, still not thinking this was the best idea. But the men were well known and Charles's sisters were staying at the house too. It wasn't like she was afraid they were serial killers or anything, but that Will guy completely unnerved her.

"Fine, but you need to call mom and dad and let them know where we are," Lizzy said, caving in to her sister's request.

Minutes later, after a phone call where their mother gave her most emphatic approval to their staying the night at the Bingleys, they took their shopping bags out of Jane's car and started walking over to Charles's SUV.

As Lizzy carried the oversized comforter Jane had bought for her new apartment, she accidentally tripped over a fallen tree branch. In an instant, two strong hands reached out to grab her waist, preventing her from falling on the ground. Once she was steadied, Will lifted the comforter out of her hands. Her heart beat in erratic bursts. Probably because she'd almost plummeted head first. It could not be due to the physical closeness of one Will Darcy. No, she was resolved not to like him. No matter how kind he tried to be.

* * *

"This is the room you'll be staying in. Dinner will be ready in about 30 minutes. I'll give you two girls some time to freshen up," Caroline said as she closed the door, giving the two women some much needed privacy.

"Oh my gosh," Lizzy breathed, completely astounded as she turned around in the room. "It looks like Saks Fifth Avenue threw up in here. These people are loaded. No wonder why you wanted to stay the night," Lizzy teased.

Jane replied, "That's not why I wanted to stay. I like Charles not because he's rich but because I feel a connection with him."

"Yeah, a connection to his money," Lizzy continued to tease.

Exasperated, Jane gently threw a pillow at her sister. "You hush. Anyway we need to get ready for dinner. Help me pick out an outfit. I must say I'm really glad we went shopping this afternoon. At least I'll have something nice to wear."

"Yeah, it's like the heavens were on your side," Lizzy replied.

* * *

"Anybody up for a game of Rock Band?" asked Howard, Charles's brother-in-law.

"I'll play," said Louisa, his wife.

"Me too," said Caroline.

"You gonna play Charles?" Howard asked.

Charles looked over to Jane and smiled. "Not this time. I think I'd like to go for a walk outside. Jane, would you like to join me?"

Nodding her head, Jane stood up. "Of course, I'd love to."

Lizzy watched amusedly as her sister and Charles left the room. They were obviously besotted with one another. But it was also quite clear that Charles's family and friend were none too happy about the budding relationship. Tough cookies, Lizzy thought, the two were clearly headed towards a relationship.

Lizzy sat and watched as the others played Rock Band. Well, everyone except for Will. He was too busy texting on his phone. Maybe he has-==- a girlfriend she thought.

While Howard was picking out a new song, Caroline walked over to the couch and looked over Will's shoulder. "Who are you texting? Georgianna?" she asked.

He does indeed have a girlfriend Lizzy thought as she headed over to the bookshelf to peruse the books on the shelf. Well, hopefully he's nicer to her than he is to everyone else.

"Tell her hello for me, will you? It has been too long since we've seen her, hasn't it Louisa?"

"Definitely. Far too long. Next time have your sister join us on vacation, Will. I know she's busy making music but I'm sure she'd like a break every once in a while."

"I'll be sure to tell her that," remarked Will as he finished typing and put his phone back in his pocket.

"Lizzy, would you like to play with us?" asked Caroline.

"No, thank you" said Lizzy, shaking her head. "I think I'll read instead. I've been wanting to read this book for a while."

"Oh, we have a scholar in the house."

"I wouldn't call myself a scholar, but I am majoring in English Lit."

"Where do you go to college?" Caroline asked, her interest piqued.

"The University of Maine. Go Black Bears," Lizzy replied, pumping her fist in the air.

A surprised giggle escaped from Louisa. Caroline turned and shot a catty smile in her sister's direction. "A public university. I'm sure it's a very affordable option for your family. Our family has always gone to Yale. Although Charles was the black sheep and went to Harvard for both undergrad and law school. Though if he hadn't we would have never been introduced to Will and that would have been a shame."

"Yes, I'm sure it would have been," murmured Lizzy. Feeling uncomfortable around the present company, Lizzy decided to head back to her room. "If you'll excuse me, I've had a pretty exhausting day. I think I'll turn in."

"Good night," Will said as she walked to the door.

Lizzy looked at him, startled by his sudden politeness. "Good night.".

On the other side of the door, she took a deep, calming breath to help cool her temper at the whole situation. As she walked towards her bedroom, she couldn't help but hear laughter coming from the living room and Caroline saying, "What? Do you think it was something I said?"

* * *

"How was your walk?" Lizzy asked as Jane snuck into the bedroom two hours later.

"Fantastic. We talked about anything and everything. I have never met a man easier to talk to than Charles."

Lizzy put her book down on the bed next to her and pulled herself up to a sitting position. Staring at her sister, she remarked, "You have a flush to your cheeks. I think you did something more than talk."

Jane's face grew redder. "Well, we might have kissed once or twice."

"Ooooh la la," Lizzy teased.

Jane began to undress for bed. Glancing back at Lizzy, she asked, "How did things go here? Did you guys play the Wii all night?"

"No, I stayed for about half an hour and then I went off to bed."

Jane frowned. "Lizzy, you really should get to know them. They seem like nice people."

Lizzy rolled her eyes. "Jane, you see the good in everyone, but there is little good in these people. Only Charles. They're all conceited, rich snobs with little to amuse themselves except each other."

"They can't be that bad."

"Well, they looked down at me for attending a public university. Apparently Ivy League schools are the only ones worth going to. Also, it's extremely obvious that Caroline has a crush on Will which makes total sense. They're both so snobby and stuck up that they'd make the perfect couple."

Jane tsked. "Sounds to me like you might be the one with the crush on Will. You do talk about him quite a lot."

"You must be still be love drunk from your walk with Charles because I have absolutely no interest in Will."

* * *

The clock on the wall struck 6:00 and Lizzy cursed her internal rhythm. She'd been out of school for three weeks now and still she woke up at the crack of dawn every morning. She got out of bed and headed down the stairs. There was no use in trying to go back to sleep because it wouldn't happen. She might as well eat some breakfast and then go for a walk.

When she got to the kitchen, she was surprised to see a tousled Will at the bar in his pajamas eating a bowl of Cocoa Puffs. He glanced up from his paper when he heard her approach.

"Hi," she said awkwardly. She was still in her pajamas too and was feeling a little self-conscious. "I'm just here to get some breakfast too."

"Cereal's in the top cabinet on the right," he replied.

After fixing herself a bowl of cereal, Lizzy sat on a stool next to Will. She grabbed the Living section of the paper. They ate in silence. Every once and a while she'd glance up to look at Will, practically drooling at how handsome he looked freshly out of bed. And every once in a while, she'd catch him looking back at her.


	4. Chapter 4

"And that George guy? You've got to be kidding me. He's a total loser. I can't believe you of all people can't see past his bull crap."

Lizzy stared at Will in astonishment. His voice was practically dripping with disdain. Who knew he hated George Wickham so very much? "I'm sorry," Lizzy replied. "I don't believe I asked for your opinion about my friends."

"Well someone should tell you. He's not a good guy Lizzy. You should stay away from him."

"And you are? You just broke up your best friend and my sister. I would hardly say that you are a good guy."

Will ran his fingers through his hair. An audible sigh escaped his lips. "Like I've told you a hundred times this evening Lizzy. It was the best thing for them. His world and her world just don't mix."

"You mean your world and my world? No, I get it. We're not good enough for you. Not enough money. Didn't go to the right schools. Don't wear the right clothes. We're too poor for your crowd."

A guilty look swept across Will's face. What she'd said had some truth to it after all. "You know whatever. Good riddance. Jane will find someone ten times better than Charles. I don't know why I am wasting my time arguing with you. I only have one more day with my sister before she moves to her new place. I could be spending my time with much better company. I'm leaving."

Will's hand shot out, grasping her own gently. "Wait, don't go."

"Why?" She asked.

"Because I want you to."

The softest expression drifted across Will's face. Lizzy didn't know how to decipher it. What was he thinking? "Why do you want me to stay? You can't stand me."

"I can stand you plenty." Will said as he looked down at the ground as if he were gathering up courage to speak. "I care about you a lot Lizzy. Hell, I even think I'm in love with you."

Complete shock shook Lizzy from head to toe. "What?" She gasped.

A sheepish smile lit his face. " I know. It's crazy right? We've fought like cats and dogs all summer, but there's something about you Lizzy. Something that draws me to you. You're like a drug, a bad habit, an addiction. I can't get enough of you. When I'm not around you I miss you. Fighting or not, you're the one I want to be with. I'm not proud of myself for it, but that's the way it is."

She was a bad habit? An addiction? Those weren't the most flattering words to be called. "That's what you think of me?" Lizzy replied sarcastically. "High praise indeed."

Will began to backpedal. "I didn't mean it like that. You're my sun. My moon. My everything. I adore you. And if you'd just give me a chance I think we could make each other happy."

With his last words, Will crept closer. Lizzy's heart began to beat erratically at his proximity. His head lowered and his lips met hers. A contented sigh escaped from her as Will took the kiss from tender to passionate. Lizzy knew she should fight it. Tell him no. But she was tired of fighting her feelings for this man. Truth was she had fallen for him. Hard. He was what she thought of when she woke up and he was her last thought when she went to bed. He infuriated her but he also was the most engaging man she had ever met. Not to mention she was extremely attracted to him.

Will's hand slid to cover her breast. Instead of being offended, Lizzy welcomed the caress. In the past, she would have never let a man go this far. She would always put a stop to it before the heavy petting started. This was the first time she didn't want to stop. She wanted to keep going. Find out what her friends were always raving about. There was no other man she would want to give herself to except this man. It didn't matter that a tiny part of her couldn't stand him. Most of her loved and wanted him.

Taking a step back from Will, she broke off the kiss.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have done that."

Ignoring his words, Lizzy grabbed the bottom of her top and pulled it over her head.

A flush swept over Will's face and his eyes suddenly became glued to her scantily covered breasts. "Lizzy," he breathed. "We don't have to do this."

"I know, but I want to."

Minutes later, kisses had led to touches and touches had led to the shedding of clothes. As Will stretched above her, he bent to kiss her tenderly once more before asking, "Are you sure?"

Lizzy had never been more sure of anything her whole life. She loved this man. She wanted him to be the her first. Her only. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer. "Yes. I...I want you to do this."

At her words, Will pushed his way inside her body. A groan escaped from his mouth. He looked to be in pain, like he wasn't enjoying himself.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing," he replied. "You're just so tight. It feels so good. You feel so good."

Lizzy swept the dark curly locks from his classically handsome face. Making love was far different than she expected. It wasn't as earth shattering as romance novels depicted it, but it wasn't half bad. She had some discomfort at first. It had taken a few minutes to adjust to his size, but after a few minutes she got used to the feel and the rhythm. It was oddly pleasant to have the man you loved receiving such pleasure from your body.

Another minute later, Will was moaning again. A very different sensation filled Lizzy this time. Will was left gasping on top of her.

He swept the hair off her shoulder and placed a few kisses on her neck. "That wasn't very good was it? I can do better. Just give me a few minutes."

* * *

And he had made it better. So much better. Lizzy could have become addicted to it. But when Lizzy had woken up in the morning she realized she'd made a big mistake. Even though Will had promised that everything would work out. She still hadn't quite believed him. So she'd ran. Sometimes she wished she hadn't run. That she'd stayed and figured out whether or not they could work as a couple. But it was too late for that.

Now she had to face reality. Will was staring at his son. The son she hadn't told him about (not that she hadn't tried). His face was beginning to redden with anger. There was no point in denying what had obviously only taken him a few seconds to figure out.

"Will, the answer's yes. But now is not the time to have this conversation."


	5. Chapter 5

Lizzy sat in the ice cream parlor booth next to her son. Her hand idly stirred the already melted hot fudge sundae she had half heartedly ordered. Her mind was preoccupied with more pressing and urgent matters. Like how was she going to tell her son that the man sitting on the other side of the booth was his father? Or how was she going to explain to Will why she'd kept his son a secret for five years? Her mind was full and her heart was worried.

"What's your name again?" her son Jake asked Will.

"Will. Will Darcy," his father replied.

Jake smacked his lips as he reached for the uneaten cherry in his mom's bowl. "Are you and my mama friends?" he asked.

Will looked unsure of how to respond. So Lizzy stepped in and answered the question herself. "Will and I met a long time ago before you were born. His friend was friends with your Auntie Jane."

"Oh," Jake replied and refocused his attention on his ice cream.

Lizzy noted the slightly tortured look in Will's eyes. The man looked desperate to make some sort of connection with the little boy he had just discovered was his son. Feeling pity for him, she said, "Jake, why don't you tell Will about your favorite animal?"

Her son's eyes lit up with joy. "Guess what? You know what my favorite animal is?"

An amused smile spread across Will's face. "What?" he asked.

"Horses! I love horses! Mama says she's gonna let me taking riding lessons as soon as I'm in first grade. Do you like horses?"

Will cast a grateful look in her direction as he answered his son. "Yes, I do. I have many at my home. When you come visit, I will show them to you."

Jake clapped his chubby hands together. "Can we go now? Mama, Will says he has horses at his house. I wanna go see them."

Will chuckled. "I'm afraid we can't see them now. They are at my house in New York, but one day very soon I will take you there. In fact, I think we will start spending a lot of time together."

Worry rose within Lizzy's breast. Will was taking things too fast, way too fast. Jake was only five. He was too young to be far from her. Truth be told, he'd never spent the night away from her, never spent the night at a friend's house. Too late Lizzy realized that having Will in Jake's life would mean that her son would be spending a significant amount of time away from her.

"Saturday! I don't have school on Saturday. I could see you and the horses then."

"That sounds like a plan," Will agreed.

Lizzy shook her head. No. She needed time to process all of this. "This weekend's no good. Kitty's birthday is this Saturday. Maybe a couple of weeks from now we won't be quite so busy."

Will's eyes blazed in her direction. "I won't be kept from my s..." His voice trailed off. Even he knew that claiming his paternity in the middle of a Dairy Queen was a bad idea.

Jake oblivious to the tension between his parents turned and asked his mom, "Can I go play on the playground?"

"Of course, sweetie."

Will and Lizzy watched as their son ran to the jungle gym, kicked off his shoes, and began to climb the ladder to the slide. Turning her gaze back to Will, Lizzy said, "You're rushing things. He needs time. I...I need time."

"You've had more than enough time Lizzy. You've had over 5 years with him. I've only had 45 minutes. Why the hell didn't you tell me about him? Did you hate me that much?"

It was like Will had shot her through the heart. Her? Hate him? She wished she could. Even after all he'd done, she'd never been able to hate him. Be mad at him? Be disappointed? Yes, but never hate. "I tried to tell you about him," she confessed. "But someone never returned any of my calls."

Startled, Will looked taken aback. "I never got any calls."

Lizzy laughed hollowly. "Whatever you want to believe. I called your office twice a week for months. Left you countless messages. Never once heard anything back. It was very clear that you were avoiding me, but it doesn't matter. Jake and I did just fine without you."

Will winced at her last remark, but admitted, "I can see that. He's a great kid."

Tears welled in Lizzy's eyes as she replied, "He is. He's so smart, so kind, so funny. I'm so proud to be his mom. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful little boy."

"We need to figure out a way that I can fit into his life. I want to see him. And often."

"How...how often?" Lizzy gulped.

"For at least a couple days every week."

"That's a lot especially for a little kid learning a new routine and getting used to a new person in his life. I have some time tomorrow night. Why don't we discuss this then? We could come up with a schedule," Lizzy suggested, getting up and motioning for her son to come to her.

"That's fine, Lizzy. But I want you to know I intend to make up the time I lost with my son whether it fits into your schedule or not." Grinning at his son, he lifted his hand for a high five from Jake. "I gotta go buddy, but I'll be seeing you soon."

"Bye Will!" Jake said as he waved at his father as he made his way out. Turning to his mother, he smiled, "Mama, I like him. He's nice. And I can't wait to meet his horses."


	6. Chapter 6

Caroline Bingley had mixed feelings as she watched her fiancé play with his son. On one hand, Will playing with a child was the cutest thing she had ever seen. She hadn't seen Will smile that much since...well ever. In the two months that Jacob had been a part of his life, Will had changed radically. Once a workaholic who never took an entire weekend off, he now made sure that his weekends were free so he could see his son. Will had also become less social. He hadn't attended a party with her in over a month. He preferred to spend every spare moment with his child. And for the last 7 weeks, he had gone to visit Jacob and that woman, Lizzy. This was the first weekend Jacob's mother had allowed him to visit Will's home in New York.

Caroline felt annoyed at having her life in complete upheaval. She and Will had originally planned to be married next June. But after learning about his son, Will had decided to push back the date another year. without even consulting her. He just said that he wanted to do what was best for his son and there was no more discussion after that. In the past, she had loved his take charge attitude, but in this circumstance it was down right frustrating. Still, she couldn't deny that Will and his son were adorable. It made her long for a child of her own.

"Zzzooom," Will picked his son up, holding him high in the air. "Where are we off to?"

"The moon!" Jacob cried.

"One. Two. Three. Blast off!" Will shouted before throwing Jacob in the air and catching him.

Giggles escaped Jacob as he fell safely back into his father's arms. Wrapping his chubby arms around Will's neck, he hugged him tight. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you too, son."

A lump filled Caroline's throat as she watched the exchange. Will clearly loved his little boy. He had missed years with him and it was all because of her. Years ago, she thought she had done what was best for him. what was best for them. Now, she wasn't so sure.

* * *

_Caroline stepped over the clothes and bottles strewn about the living room floor. A passed out Will was laying on the couch. Gently shaking his shoulder, she woke him up._

_"Will, it's time to go."_

_Will cupped his hands over his face and groaned. "Ah, I don't want to. I don't want to do anything."_

_"It's your first day at the firm. You don't want to miss it. Here, I brought you some coffee and I picked up your suit from dry cleaning."_

_"Really? You did all that?" Will asked, eyeing her unbelievingly._

_Caroline rolled her eyes. "OK, so my maid did it, but it's the thought that counts."_

_Will reached for the dry cleaning bag. "I'm gonna shower and get dressed. I'll be right back."_

_"Don't forget to shave," she called. "You look like a homeless man with that beard."_

_As he walked down the hall, Caroline set down the coffee. Looking down at the mail on the coffee table, she noticed an unopened envelope with an address from Maine. It was from Lizzy Bennet. Caroline didn't know her well, but what she did know was that Will hadn't been the same ever since they'd come back from summer vacation. He had started drinking heavily and he didn't seem as interested in hanging out with his friends anymore._

_But, she had taken steps to remedy that problem. A month ago, Lizzy had tried to call Will. Fortunately, he hadn't been around when the phone rang. She had ignored the call and blocked Lizzy's phone number to keep her from calling again. He didn't need Lizzy to distract him from his new job. Also, she didn't need Lizzy standing in the way of her and Will's future happiness. With the other woman around, it would only make it that much harder to get Will's attention._

_Needless to say, Caroline was a little irked as she opened the letter. Honestly, when would this woman give up._

_Inside she found a card, and much to her surprise, a sonogram. Caroline read the note in disbelief:_

Will,

I know this isn't exactly the best way to tell you, but I haven't been able to reach you any other way. I'm pregnant, almost 2 and 1/2 months. It's yours. I don't know if you've been avoiding me on purpose or what, but if you would like to be involved in your child's life, here is your opportunity. Otherwise, I will assume you don't want to be a part of this and I won't contact you again.

Lizzy

_"Well, that's an easy enough fix," Caroline said, ripping the letter and the sonogram to pieces and throwing it into the fire. The last thing Will needed was to be saddled with some hick from up north. He needed a woman from his own social circle, a woman with class and good breeding, a woman like her._

* * *

"So, I've been thinking," Will said later that night as they sat around the fire, drinking some wine before bed.

Caroline walked over and sat next to him on the couch. Leaning her head against his shoulder, she looped her fingers with his. "What have you been thinking about?" she asked softly.

"I think I should move to Maine."

Caroline sat up abruptly. "What? Move to Maine? Whatever for?"

Will looked at her like she was crazy. "Because. Jacob lives there. I don't think it's hard to understand that I want to be near my son. I've already missed five years of his life. I don't want to miss any more."

"But what about the firm? Your house? Me? Couldn't you have Jacob move to New York?"

Will shook his head. "No. Lizzy would never allow that. Besides his whole life is in Maine. His friends. His family. His school. It's overwhelming enough to have a father he didn't know he had show up all of a sudden. He doesn't need everything else in his life to change too. Maybe in a few years he could move here, but not now. It wouldn't be what's best for my son."

"What about what's best for us?" Caroline asked, hurt by his decision. "I thought we were going to get married. I mean your job is here. What will you do in Maine?"

Will grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "We're not over. We're just putting things off a bit, not for forever. As for my job, I think I will open up my own practice in Portland. I probably won't get much business, but it's not like I work for the money anyway."

Tears began to fall from Caroline's eyes. This was the beginning of the end. She could tell. That horrid Bennet girl would sink her hooks into Will again and take him from her.

"Caroline, don't cry," Will said as he cupped her face. "I'm not doing this to hurt you. I'm doing this for my son."

* * *

Later that night Will was in the middle of searching for houses online when he heard his phone ring. "Yes," he answered.

"Hey, it's me. Lizzy. I was just calling to see if I could chat with Jacob before he goes to sleep."

"I would, but he passed out a couple of hours ago."

"Really?" Lizzy asked, sounding unconvinced. "It's only 9:30. He usually stays up for at least another half hour. He's a bit of a night owl."

"Well, he was pretty tired today. We did a lot of stuff. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out. I didn't even get a chance to read him a story."

"Oh, what did you two do today?"

"We played with the toys I got him, he met the horses and don't hate me, but I got him a puppy."

Will smiled at the rich, husky laughter that came from Lizzy. How he loved that sound. "Ah, you let him sucker you into getting a puppy. He's been asking for one for months now. You better be careful. Before you know it, he'll trick you into letting him stay up all night watching scary movies."

"You let him watch scary movies?"

"No, but he's dying to see one. His friends tell him about ones that they've seen and he's a bit jealous."

"Five year olds watching horror movies? What kind of parents let their kids do that?"

"You'd be surprised how many. So he had fun today? He's doing alright?"

"Yes, he's doing fine. Hey...um...Lizzy, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"O..OK," Lizzy said, her voice faltering a bit.

Will rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't know why he was so nervous to bring this subject up. What was it about Lizzy that always had his stomach in knots?

"I've been doing some thinking and I think it would be best if I moved to Portland to be closer to Jacob."

He waited a moment for her response, but when he heard none he kept talking. "I'm looking for a place to live. Once I find one, I will move up there full time. Then, I can see Jacob during the week."

When she didn't respond, he asked, "Lizzy? You still there?"

"Yes. I was just thinking. What about Caroline? Is she going to move with you?"

Will chuckled. "Caroline wouldn't step foot in Portland. She would be bored to tears. She's going to stay in Manhattan. No. It's just me moving."

"OK. Well, I better go. I'll see you tomorrow. I'd like Jacob home by dinner time."

"Will do. Bye."

"Bye."

* * *

As Lizzy hung up the phone, she pressed her hand against her rapidly beating heart. She shouldn't feel this way. Her feelings for him should have diminished especially after what had passed between them, but they hadn't. Seeing the way he was with their son had endeared him to her more than ever. Now he was going to move up here. She didn't know how she would bear seeing him all the time. He was engaged for goodness sake. She had no right to want him, to wish he was hers. But she did and nothing was going to change that.


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm a big boy. I don't need to hold your hand," Jacob pouted as he shrugged out of his father's grasp.

Feeling slightly irritated, Will quickly took back his son's hand in his own. "When we're crossing the street, you will hold my hand. I don't want you to get run over."

"Unh, let go!" Jacob cried, struggling in vain to get free.

Will bent down to face his son eye to eye. The boy had been in a bad mood all day and it was beginning to take its toll even on his father. "Now, listen to me, I am your dad and you will do what I say."

"No. I don't want to!" Jacob shouted, kicking his father in the shin.

Will ignored the looks cast at him by people passing by. Scooping his screaming son into his arms, he quickly made his way back to the car. Grocery shopping would have to wait.

* * *

Knocking on Will's door, Lizzy was alarmed to hear her son crying inside. Seconds later, a flustered Will opened the door.

"What is going on?" she asked.

"Mama? Mama!" a teary Jacob cried as he ran towards her.

Grasping him into her arms, she soothingly stroked his hair, kissing his forehead. "Mama. I want to go home. Daddy was mean to me. He...he spanked me. I don't love him no more. I never want to see him again!"

Lizzy looked up at Will. "Is this true? Did you spank him?" What on earth could have possessed him to do such a thing?

Will looked at her unblinkingly and unashamed. "I did and he deserved it."

A flush rose across Lizzy's face as her anger heightened. "I know that you're new to the whole parent thing, but I didn't think I would have to tell you this. Spanking is NOT how we discipline our child. Time outs, yes. Making him apologize, yes. Drawing a picture about why he was bad, yes. But he's never been spanked until now. And it's not going to happen again."

"If he chooses to misbehave again, it will," Will replied. "Time outs and pictures might work for you but when my child is being disrespectful to me I will handle it as I see fit."

Lizzy scoffed. "Oh, you know all the answers. That's rich coming from someone who has been a father for all of three months."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Your own," Lizzy shot back.

Lizzy was now not the only one angry. Will looked like he was about to blow a gasket. "Months ago, you said you tried to contact me after you found out you were pregnant. I didn't believe you then, but I let it slide because we had more pressing matters to deal with. But I sure don't believe you now. You never meant for me to know."

Rolling her eyes, Lizzy spat, "Oh, yes, I kept your child from you as part of some big scheme. Didn't you know? All women dream of becoming single mothers. Yes, the past five years have been such a piece of cake. I've loved every minute of worrying and fear and shouldering all the responsibility by myself. Why would I want someone to help me out with the overwhelming task of raising a child when I could struggle and go at it alone? Really, Will? You think I hated you that much that I would do that to my child? To deny him his father?"

"Well, I never got your calls."

"What about the letter I sent you? With the sonogram? Surely a picture of a fetus wouldn't escape your notice?"

"I never got any such thing," Will replied, defensively.

Jacob, who had been there for the entire argument, began to look even more distraught at the raised voices of his mother and father. Putting his hands over his ears, Jacob began to shed new tears. Seeing her son's distress, Lizzy made herself calm down. This was neither the time nor the place to have this discussion.

"You know what? It doesn't matter any more. You know about Jacob now and that's what really counts."

"Yeah, you're right," Will conceded, also having noted his son's discomfort. Crouching down next to his son, he said, "Hey, buddy, you gonna give me a hug before you leave?"

Jacob shook his head and clung tightly onto his mom. "No. You mean. I don't like you no more."

A pained expression passed across Will's face. "Alright then," he said, standing upright. "I'll pick him up after school on Tuesday. Bye Jacob."

Jacob's reply was to stick out his tongue. Lizzy sighed. Maybe Will had reason to spank their son. Jacob was being a little toot.

* * *

Later than night as she and her son ate dinner, Lizzy set out to find the reason behind Jacob's misbehavior.

"So what happened today with you and your dad? Why'd he spank you?"

Jacob slurped down his spaghetti and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Cuz he's mean."

Lizzy threw her son her best mom look. "Tell me the truth."

Jacob sighed. "We were walking to the store and he wanted me to hold his hand while we crossed the street. He treats me like I'm a baby."

Lizzy put down her fork and squeezed her son's hand. "He wasn't trying to treat you like a baby. He just wants you to be safe. You have to hold my hand when you walk across the street with me."

"I know, but I don't have to listen to him. He's just my dad."

"Honey, it's because he's your dad that you have to listen to him."

"Why? I never had to listen to him before. My friends all got their dads when they were babies, but I got my dad when I was in Kindergarten. Why is that? Where was he?"

Lizzy bit her lip, not knowing how to explain the situation to someone so young. Heck, she didn't even know how to explain it to herself. He'd said that he'd never got her calls or her letter, but she didn't know if she could believe him. I mean how could he miss both her calls and her letter? There was no possible, reasonable explanation for it other than he was lying to her.

"Your dad was...um...he was busy doing lots of things in New York with his job and stuff."

Jacob made a dissatisfied face. "How come he's just here now? And how come all of a sudden he boss me around? That's not fair."

"He's your father. It's his job to make sure you behave. Just like it is mine." Not wanting to continue the conversation any longer, Lizzy said, "Hurry and finish your dinner. You need to take a bath."

* * *

"Mama?" Jacob asked as Lizzy tucked him into bed.

"Yes, sweetheart."

"I get to see daddy again, right? I didn't mean what I said. I still love him."

Lizzy smiled and gently kissed him on the forehead. "Of course, love. You get to see him on Tuesday, remember?"

"Yeah. I just thought maybe he wouldn't want to see me no more. I was kind of bad today. I kicked him in the leg."

"Jacob Fitzwilliam Bennet," Lizzy gasped. "That was very wrong of you. You know better."

"I know, mommy. I'm sorry," Jacob said with a yawn, closing his eyes. "I'll do better tomorrow."

"Make sure you do," Lizzy whispered as she closed the door.

* * *

"Uh, Lizzy, what are you doing here?" Will asked. He was surprised to see her at his office. He was still trying to set up the place. It would be another month or two before he would be officially ready to take clients. "I'm surprised you're not at work."

"I took a half day off to run some errands. I thought I would stop by and maybe we could talk some things out without Jacob around."

Will's fingers combed through his hair. "Yeah, sure. Have a seat. Do you want something to drink?"

"No, I'm good." Lizzy answered as she sat in the chair across from his desk. "So I talked to Jacob and I found out what happened the other day. Honestly, I don't know what got into him. He's never acted like that before."

Will leaned back in his chair. "I've done some reading and apparently this is pretty common when kids have somebody new come into their lives. The honeymoon phase is over with us. It's not just all fun and games. I have to actually parent and it's natural that he's going to rebel against that a bit."

Nodding her head, Lizzy replied, "I agree. He's having a hard time adjusting to having a dad. He's only used to having to mind me. Plus he's starting to ask questions."

"What kind of questions?"

"Like where was his father for most of his life. You know we're going to have to explain it to him one day."

"I don't know how to explain it now," he admitted.

"Me either."

"You really tried to contact me, didn't you?" Will asked. He was actually starting to believe her story.

"I did, but you never got the calls or the letter?"

"I don't know. Maybe I did. Truth be told I was pretty wasted for a while after we broke things off. I didn't really pay attention to my mail or who was trying to call me."

"Oh." Lizzy said, looking uncomfortable at that bit of news.

"But the past is the past. We can't undo it. I say we move forward from now on. We'll explain things to Jacob when he gets older. Deal?"

"Of course, deal."

Will walked around to the front of his desk, stopping right in front of Lizzy. "I guess the next thing we should talk about is discipline."

"I thought we had already discussed this..."

"No, you dictated to me." As Lizzy was about to interrupt, Will put his hand up. "What I was going to say is that we need to be on the same page with discipline. He shouldn't be able to get away with one thing at your house and not at my house. He's young and this change in his life is challenging for him. He needs as much consistency as possible."

"Let me guess that was something else you had read about?" Sighing, Lizzy admitted, "You're right. We need to be on the same page. But I still think you shouldn't have spanked him."

Will looked down, feeling guilt squeeze his heart. He knew she was right. "Is he still mad at me?"

"No. He was actually scared you wouldn't want to see him anymore."

"Silly kid."

"You know he loves you?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, I better go," Lizzy said as she got up to leave. Reaching the door, she turned around. "Will," she began.

He looked up from the spot on the carpet that had been so mesmerizing seconds before. Lizzy was biting her lip. She looked nervous. She also looked beautiful, but what else was new?

"I was just wondering. Why were you drunk after that summer?"

"Don't act like you don't know. I poured my freaking heart out to you that night and you just left like what happened didn't even matter at all."

"It did."

"What?"

"It mattered. It mattered a lot. Did you ever think that maybe I was scared? That becoming part of your world was a little daunting to a 20 year old who had spent most of her life in rural Maine? How would I have looked by your side? I knew nothing of your world in Manhattan. I wouldn't know how to host a party, fund raise, dress for social events, or any of that stuff you rich people do."

"You would have learned. I would have helped you. Your wit and charm make you a natural hostess. No one would have been able to keep their eyes off of you," Will replied softly. Will felt the reserve that he had held on to for the past three months start to crack. After he'd found out about his son, he'd been so upset with her that most of their conversations had been like business transactions. They talked only about their son. They had gotten to a point where they were somewhat friendly with each other, but he felt, and he knew she did too, betrayed. This was the first time that he hadn't let his pain rule his actions. This was the first time that he'd let hope in.

Walking over to the door where she stood, he stopped mere inches from her, hovering in her space. Longing to touch her, he fisted his hands to keep himself from doing that very thing.

"Well, it's no use rehashing the past like you said," replied Lizzy, somewhat shakily. "You have Caroline now. I'm sure she leaves nothing wanting when it comes to social events."

"She is a wonderful hostess," Will remarked. His eyes were fixed upon Lizzy's lips. He didn't know how in the space of a few minutes he had gone from having a normal conversation with her to wanting to kiss her. But here he was, doing his best to train his brain not to want her. _You are engaged_ , he told himself. _You are engaged._

"Yes, I'm sure she is," Lizzy whispered softly, leaning in closer.

She smelled so good. She looked so soft, so delectable. One taste, just one taste wouldn't hurt.

 _Integrity._ Will heard his father say in the back of his mind. _The Darcy name is synonymous with integrity. We do what's right even when no one is holding us accountable. That's what being a real man is all about._

Sighing, Will closed his eyes and took a step back. "You should go. Finish your errands."

At this point, Lizzy had turned beet red with embarrassment. "Yes, you're right. I should be going. B...Bye," she stammered before quickly fleeing out the door.

Groaning, Will propped himself up against the wall. This couldn't be happening again. But it was. Lizzy had wanted to kiss him and he had most certainly wanted to kiss her.


	8. Chapter 8

Will couldn't believe it, but he was actually glad to be back in Portland. After the exhausting weekend he'd spent in Manhattan, the easy pace of Portland was a welcome respite. He had gone back to New York to break things off with Caroline which had not been an easy task, but the almost kiss with Lizzy had really put things in perspective for him. Caroline was not who he wanted, Lizzy was. He had broken things off with his fiancée so he could pursue the woman he truly wanted…guilt-free.

Now that he was back in the same state as the woman he adored he planned on making his intentions known to her. He was going to win her and this time he would never let her go. In fact, he had plans for her and Jacob this Saturday. They would spend the day together _as a family_.

* * *

Lizzy didn't know why she had agreed to spending the day with Will and their son. They had never done anything like this before. The only time they spent with each other was when one of them was dropping off or picking up their son. It seemed kind of odd to her that all of a sudden Will wanted to hang out as a family. She should have told him no. Last week when she'd gone to his office, she had been itching to kiss him. She'd thought he had felt the same way, but he hadn't kissed her. Shaking her head, she scolded herself. She shouldn't want his kiss. Wanting his kiss made her a cheater and she wasn't that kind of girl.

"You look nice," Jane complimented as she walked into Lizzy's bedroom. "You hardly ever wear make up. Going somewhere special?"

Lizzy shook her head. "Will and I are taking Jake sledding."

"Oh, I see," Jane smiled mischievously.

"It's nothing," Lizzy said, trying her best to sound nonchalant.

"Whatever you say."

Downstairs, the doorbell rang. Lizzy stood and checked her appearance in the mirror one last time. Breathing in and slowly exhaling out, Lizzy attempted to calm her racing heart. This day was about Jake. It didn't mean anything special for her and Will. That was all in the past. Their son was their present and future.

"You look gorgeous. He's not going to be able to resist," Jane remarked.

"He's engaged."

"But not married."

"He's as good as."

"He could always change his mind. Be honest. You want him to change it, don't you? You want him to choose you."

"The chance for us to be together has passed Jane. Please don't give me false hope when there's none to be had," Lizzy said, fighting to keep her composure.

"Oh, Lizzy. I was just teasing. I didn't know he still meant that much to you," Jane said, coming to wrap her arms around her sister.

"I didn't either, but all those feelings I felt for him when I was younger have returned in full force. Pray for me today," she whispered. "Pray that I don't do something stupid."

* * *

"This hill is the best sledding spot in all of Hampden. We'll hit record-breaking speeds on this one," Will told Jacob.

"Let's go, dad, let's go!" Jacob cried excitedly.

"OK. You get on first, then your mom, and I'll get on in the back."

Lizzy shot him a doubtful look. "Can we all fit?"

"Of course we can."

"I'm not so sure," Lizzy said, skeptically eyeing the sled.

"Come on, mama. I wanna sled!"

"Just try it, Lizzy. If it doesn't work out, you don't have to go with us the next time, but it's more fun when you've got others with you."

Lizzy begrudgingly joined her son on the sled. She wrapped her arms tightly around her son. After all, the hill was pretty steep and she didn't want him to fall out. She almost had the breath knocked out of her when she felt the warmth of Will against her back as he jumped on the sled, propelling it into action. Will's arms quickly snaked around her middle. The whole ride was a treat to the senses for her. She heard the gleeful sound of her son's laughter, felt the cold breeze of the wind against her cheeks, smelled the subtle scent of Will's cologne that she would have never smelled if she wasn't in such close proximity to him, and saw the glistening snow on this beautiful winter day.

When they reached the bottom of the hill, Jake quickly jumped up and cried, "Again! Again!"

Will was slow to get up, choosing instead to nuzzle his face into Lizzy's neck.

"What are you doing?" Lizzy gasped, shooting up like a bolt of lightning.

Reddening, Will replied, "Sorry. My face was cold."

* * *

"I'm starving, mama!" Jake said as he climbed into a booth at Silly's Diner.

"Me too, kiddo." Lizzy replied.

"After all that sledding, I think I could eat a whole cow," Will remarked.

"A whole cow? You're goofy, dad."

"Well, I could eat a whole rhinoceros," Lizzy said, adding to the joke.

"Well…well, I could eat, I could eat," Jake started, searching his brain for something to add. "A whole hippopotamus!"

"Wow, you must be really hungry," Will replied.

"That's right! I want a whole burger and fries to myself. No sharing with you, mama. You always steal my fries. You get your own today."

Will chuckled. "Your mom's always done that. I remember when I used to take her out to lunch she would order a salad and always ended up eating all of my fries."

"That's what you should get, mama. A salad and some fries. That way you won't want to eat mine or dad's."

Lizzy rolled her eyes at both of them as an older waitress in her mid-fifties approached. "Hi everybody, my name's Cindy and I'll be your server today. I must say I think you're the cutest little family I've seen all day. Look at those little pink cheeks."

"We went sledding today," Jake announced. "I had lots of fun with my mama and daddy."

"Isn't he sweet? Better pop out a brother or sister for this one or he won't stay sweet for long. Having a sibling forces you to share and to think about others. My grand nephew is an only child and he's spoiled rotten. Now, what can I get you to drink?"

Lizzy's cheeks had flushed a bright pink during the waitress's spiel. She knew she shouldn't be embarrassed. The woman didn't know their situation, but another sibling for Jake? It was like the woman had read her mind. While having four sisters had been trying at times, she'd loved growing up in a big family. She'd always envisioned the same for her children. But with Will still engaged to Caroline and her complete lack of interest in any other man, it didn't look like Jake would be getting siblings any time soon.

* * *

"Mama, will you put lots of marshmallows in my hot cocoa?" Jake asked.

Dropping a handful of marshmallows into her son's cup, Lizzy tried to ignore the voice in her head that said she shouldn't give her child this much sugar. It wasn't like he ate like this everyday. It was a special occasion.

"Here you go, Jake. Extra marshmallows," she said as she handed him a mug.

"Thanks, mama. You ready for the movie? This one's my favorite!"

Lizzy smiled at her son's enthusiasm. The day had been a fun one. They'd ended up riding horses for a couple hours after lunch. After dinner, they'd played a few intense games of Uno and Jenga before deciding they should relax before bedtime by watching the movie _Elf_.

Lizzy sat down on the couch next to her son. "Where's your dad?" she asked.

Jake shrugged his shoulders. "Daaaaad!" he shouted. "Where are you?"

"Coming. Coming," Will replied, his arms full of blankets. "I just got some blankets in case we get cold."

"I'm not cold, daddy. I've got my 'jamas with the feet," he said, sticking his foot out to show off his footed pajamas.

"I'll take a blanket," Lizzy said. Despite having lived in Maine for her whole life, she easily got cold. She always bundled up anytime she went outside and tended to over-bundle her son. She wasn't surprised he didn't want a blanket. He had been hot-natured from birth.

Covering herself with the blanket, Lizzy bent her knees and laid herself on the two-thirds of the couch her son wasn't using. She watched as Will pressed play on the DVD player and stoked the fire in the fireplace. Turning back to the couch, he stopped a few feet in front of it.

"I'm sorry," Lizzy said. "I thought you were going to sit in the chair."

"The best view is from here though. We can all fit if you'll scoot over a bit."

Lizzy was unsure of how she felt being in such close quarters with Will but she sat up and scooted over despite her reservations.

For the first fifteen minutes of the movie, they sat still in relative awkwardness and silence. The only thing that broke the silence was their son's hysterical giggles at the antics of the giant-sized elf. Unable to find a comfortable spot, Jake eventually took a pillow and made a place for himself on the floor in front of the TV.

"Get up," Will whispered as he stood up himself.

Startled by his sudden request, Lizzy asked, "Why?"

"Just do what I ask. You always ask too many questions."

"I do not," Lizzy protested as she stood up.

Will went back to the couch but this time instead of sitting on it, he laid down. "Get the blanket and come join me," he said, patting the spot in front of him.

"I don't think that's a good idea…" Nothing good ever came from spooning with one's ex.

"Come on, it's no big deal. We'll both be more comfortable this way."

Lizzy's mind was yelling at her to abort and walk away, but her impulsive side, the side of her that always got her in trouble or made her say something she would later regret, made her join Will on the couch. She closed her eyes and sighed as Will pulled the cover over both of them. His arms circled around her waist. Much to her chagrin, she felt her own hands settle on top of his.

* * *

Lizzy woke to the credits rolling. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and stretched. Will wasn't in the living room. He must have gone to put Jake to bed. Even though it was her night to have Jake, it wouldn't hurt if he spent the night here. Poor tyke was pooped after his day of fun. Walking quietly to his room, Lizzy went to take a quick peek at her son before heading home. Leaning against the door, Lizzy smiled as she watched Will tuck their little boy in to bed. She was surprised at how quickly he'd taken to becoming a father.

"You want to tell him good night?"

"No, I don't want to wake him. He can stay here and I'll pick him up after breakfast tomorrow."

Before she had a chance to back away, Will grabbed her hand. "Hey, stay with me tonight."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is a bit M rated. I think it's mild but I received reviews that it was a bit much. So proceed with caution or feel free to skip this chapter. I'm working on Chapter 10 which will be up in a day or two.

No…" Lizzy managed to stutter. "I don't even know why you're asking me that. You're engaged."

Will rolled his eyes. "If I were engaged, do you think I would have flirted with you all day long? Or spooned with you on the couch? No, I'm not engaged, Lizzy. Caroline and I broke up last week."

Lizzy mouth formed a round O of surprise. Her heart seemed to beat thrice its normal amount. He wasn't engaged. He was free to date. Lizzy quickly shook herself out of her reverie.

"Come on, Lizzy. Stay with me tonight. I know you want to," Will said, reaching for her hands.

"What I want and what I should do are two different things. The answer is still no. I think it's best if we both just forgot about today," Lizzy said as she started to head toward the stairs.

She managed to walk about ten steps before she was whirled around and heaved against a strong male chest. Before she could say anything nay before she could even think, she felt the warm pressure of Will's lips against her own. It didn't take long before she returned the kiss in full force, wrapping her arms around her neck.

The breath was whooshed out of her as Will picked her up and walked to his room a few doors down.

He deposited her gently on his bed. At this point, all of Lizzy's protests had gone out the window. This man was that much of a weakness for her. Screw it, she thought. I want this.

Lizzy sighed as Will's lips traveled from her mouth to her neck. Parts of her, long dormant, started to tingle and throb. Oh, how she wanted this. Clutching his back, Lizzy wrapped her legs around him and moaned at the delicious friction it caused.

He lifted his head from her neck, still breathing heavily. "Are you sure?" he asked.

In reply, Lizzy reached for the bottom of his shirt and helped him out of it. Pushing him back on the bed, she climbed on top of him starting a trail of kisses from his neck to his belly button.

"I've missed this," he moaned.

Pausing for a second, Lizzy stared at him. "How can you miss this? We've only done this once before."

"That one time was etched into my brain for eternity."

"Well, let's see if we can get some new memories into that brain of yours," Lizzy said as she whipped her shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor. She quickly undid her bra and threw that on the ground too.

A grin spread across Will's face.

"What?" Lizzy asked, perplexed as to what he found so amusing.

"Your boobs are definitely bigger than I remember. Did you..ah…get some work done?"

Slightly annoyed, Lizzy replied, "No. It's called having your son. They just stayed big after I had him and after breastfeeding."

He smirked but knew better than to say anything else. Sitting up, he gently cupped her breasts in his hands. He nuzzled her neck as his thumbs flicked against her nipples.

Just as he was about to cover her breast with his mouth, they heard the doorbell ring. Immediately they both froze. Who could be here at ten o'clock at night?

"You stay here," Will said as he threw his shirt back on. "I'm going to go see who it is."

 

* * *

 

Lizzy was able to wait about three minutes before she could no longer handle waiting around topless for Will to return. It was confirmed. The universe was against them.

Lizzy put her bra and shirt back on and proceeded to head downstairs. As she approached the front door, the murmuring voices became clearer.

"Will, I thought you'd be happier to see me. Did I come at a bad time?"

"Not at all. It's always good to see you. How was your flight from Rome?"

"Long. We can catch up on this chit chat later, but I have to say I'm dying to meet my nephew. Is he here?"

"Yeah, he is, but he's still sleeping."

Lizzy breathed a sigh of relief as she realized that the woman Will was speaking with must be his sister, Georgiana. For a second, she'd worried that Caroline had come to Maine to win Will back.

Grabbing her jacket and purse in the hallway, Lizzy was about to make her way out the front door. Of course, her luck that day wasn't the greatest and Will stopped her in her tracks.

"Lizzy, where are you going?" he asked.

It took all her courage to turn around instead of race out the door, but she did turn around and even managed to put a smile on her face.

"It's late. I better get going."

Georgiana, who was a tall, gorgeous blonde in her early twenties, turned to her and smiled. Sticking out her hand, she said, "I'm Georgiana, Will's little sister. And you're the infamous Lizzy."

Shaking the other woman's hand, Lizzy said, "It's nice to meet you. Infamous? That doesn't sound so good."

A look of genuine horror reddened Georgiana's face. "I didn't it mean it that way. Not at all. It's just I remember hearing about you years ago and now, he still talks about you."

"Well, we do have a son together."

Georgiana clapper her hands together. "Who I can't wait to meet! I hope you two don't mind but I kind of went overboard on the presents. In fact, that red suitcase over there is filled with presents just for him."

"You didn't have to," Lizzy said.

"He's my only nephew. Who would I spoil if not him?"

"I'm sure he'll love having a new aunt. Well, I better be off before it gets too late. It was really nice meeting you," Lizzy said before opening the door and heading outside.

As she headed towards her car, she heard the door reopen and footsteps follow after her. "Hey, Lizzy, wait up!" Will said.

Lizzy unlocked her car and threw her purse inside. Leaning against the side of the car, she crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

"I'm sorry our plans got interrupted," he said.

She shrugged. "It just wasn't meant to be."

"Oh, we're definitely meant to be. Just not tonight. How about we get some brunch tomorrow? The four of us? I think you'll like my sister."

Lizzy had a sneaking suspicion she'd like her too. "I wonder how come you're so snobby and she's not?"

Leaning down towards her, he whispered. "I don't know. I guess she's better than me." He gently kissed her lips. "Meet us here tomorrow at ten. Don't be late."

* * *

 

"So how long have you been in love with her?" Georgiana asked.

Will chuckled out loud. His sister always knew how to get straight to the point. Even though she was only twenty-one, she was perceptive beyond her years.

Opening the fridge, Will said, "Do you want something to eat? I've got some leftovers from dinner. Fettucine Alfredo and some salad."

"No. What I really want is some answers. Wait. Is that pizza I see? I'll take a piece of that."

Will motioned to the microwave, but Georgiana shook her head. "It's better cold."

As Georgiana munched happily on her slice of pizza, Will sighed. "What do you want to know?"

"Tell me about her. I know you met her when you were on vacation here after law school, but other than that I don't know much. Were you guys dating back then? What happened? Why'd you end it? Also, I know you and Caroline broke up. She called me. Was it because of Lizzy?"

Will chewed the inside of his cheek. How much should he really let his sister know? She was so much younger than him, eleven years. She didn't need to know all the sordid details. He'd just give her the basics.

"A little over six years ago Lizzy and I were basically just acquaintances. Charles was dating her sister so we really couldn't avoid each other. Over the summer, I grew feelings for her. I liked her. I didn't want to but I did."

"Why didn't you want to like her?" his sister asked.

"She's from a different world than us."

"She's an alien?"

Will threw a marshmallow at his sister. "You're hilarious. No, she grew up here. She comes from a middle class family. A very loud, large, and obnoxious family. I didn't know how she could fit in to our circle of friends and acquaintances."

Georgiana looked up at him with a disappointed look on her face. "That's really snooty of you. I don't remember much about mom and dad but I know they weren't like that. They didn't care about that kind of stuff."

His sister made him feel a bit ashamed of himself. She was right. His parents never cared about whether others had the same social status as they did. His mother had always reminded him to have manners. Manners are not just an obscure set of rules to memorize, his mother would say, the point of them is to make others feel comfortable and welcome. His choices weren't making his parents proud, but they couldn't expect him to be perfect. They'd died when he was only eighteen.

"Do you want to know the rest of the story or do you want to keep berating me?"

"OK. OK," Georgiana put her hands up. "Keep telling your story."

Will went on to tell her about the rest of that summer, finding out about his son, and breaking things off with Caroline.

"I broke the engagement with Caroline because it wasn't fair to her. I do have feelings for Lizzy. I think I love her. We still have a lot of issues to work through, but I want to be with her. I want to marry her."

"You will. I can tell she likes you too."

"You can tell that from the two minute interaction you had?"

Georgiana nodded. "That and the fact her shirt was on backwards. I'm sorry I interrupted you two lovebirds."

Will's face reddened. This was not the kind of conversation he liked having with his younger sister.

His sister laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not a baby anymore. We can talk about this stuff."

"Unh-unh," Will replied, shaking his head. "Enough about me. How are you? How's school?"

"I just spent a semester in Italy studying opera. I'm living the dream."

"So you had fun?"

"It was wonderful. And it gets even better. I met someone."


	10. Chapter 10

_Seven years ago_

Gone was his perfect attendance record at Harvard Law School, Will had decided to play hooky. He'd never once missed or been late to a class. That is until now.

Something had compelled him to drive upstate to visit his sister. Their conversation on the phone last night had left him feeling uneasy. Georgiana had sounded off. So much so that he'd decided to skip his Friday classes to visit her at her boarding school.

He made a pit stop at the Sunoco to fill up his tank. He pumped his gas and headed inside to pick up a Snickers for him and some gummy worms for Georgiana. As he filled a styrofoam cup with coffee, he noticed a man out of the corner of his eye who looked strangely familiar. He didn't get a good look before the man headed out the door, but he could have sworn he'd just seen George Wickham.

On the drive to the Emma Willard School where his sister received her education, his mind was flooded with memories. And not particularly fond ones. George Wickham was the bane of his existence. The bag of bones he couldn't shake. The parasite he couldn't treat. The cockroach he couldn't exterminate.

He hoped upon hope that his eyes had been seeing things. The last thing he needed was another run in with George.

George Wickham had been the only son of his parents' housekeeper, Barbara Wickham, a single mother and lovely human being. His parents, George and Anne Darcy, had always had a soft spot for her. She was treated like family and lived in their guest house. At the tender age of 12, George lost his mother to cancer. Will's parents had footed the bill and had promised to take care of her son for her before she passed away. They'd become his legal guardians and had taken great care of him.

Unfortunately, George had seemed to resent this. He felt entitled to all the luxuries the Darcys afforded him. Will couldn't count the times his father had woken in the middle of the night to bail George out of jail from everything from public intoxication to possession of illegal substances to vandalism. Will knew hate was a strong word but the fact that the last five years of his father's life were filled with so much stress and worry…Will couldn't help it. It was just how he felt.

Even as kids, Will knew something wasn't right about George. It was little stuff like stealing little trinkets and toys from other kids' desks in elementary school or how he'd always throw rocks at any squirrel he saw in a tree or his outrageous lying. At a young age, he was so charming people would believe his lies. Everyone that is except Will.

One day in high school, he'd gathered up the courage to address this issue with his father. To his surprise, his dad was well aware of George's true personality.

"He hasn't had the easiest of lives," his father said. "His mother passed away. He has no idea who his dad is. We're the only constant in his life. I know he has some rough edges. OK, maybe a lot of rough edges, but your mom and I are convinced if we continue to show him love and support that with time he'll become a better person."

And that's what his father and mother had done. Right up until they'd both been tragically taken from him his freshmen year of college. Then, all the responsibility was put on his shoulders to bear. His parents had left Georgiana in his care but they'd also made a side note about George. They'd asked him to give him his best shot in life.

At eighteen, Will had taken on an enormous amount of responsibility as well as an enormous amount of wealth. Fortunately, he was of sober mind and did not spend his inheritance carelessly. George, on the other hand, continued to be reckless. He received a monthly allowance that he blew threw each month. Debtors constantly knocked at Will's door and he paid them off time and time again like his father would want him to.

Then, one day, he'd had enough. His first year of law school he'd wrote George a check for $500,000 to help him finish up his last year or two of undergrad and to give him a little seed money to get on his feet after he'd graduated. That had been a year and a half ago and from what he'd heard George had already spent all the money. He fully expected to receive a call from him any day now.

Georgiana, his sweet, lovable sister, knew nothing of George's true character and had been upset when he'd told her that George wasn't invited over for the holidays anymore. He'd told her that when she was older he'd explain it all to her. At the tender age of fourteen, she was just too young for that conversation.

* * *

 

"Hey, Georgie," Will said as his sister opened the door.

"Will!" Georgina exclaimed, rushing to hug him. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Stepping back from her, Will's eyes scanned his sister. It didn't escape his notice that her hair was disheveled and her eyes were bloodshot.

"You OK?" Will asked as he stepped in to the dorm room he'd spent extra to make sure was private. In one corner, stood her keyboard with sheets of music piled on top. A half-eaten turkey wrap and a glass of grapefruit juice was on her desk. Laundry littered the floor and books and pages of notes were strewn about her bed.

Georgiana waved off his concern. "Sorry about the mess. Finals are coming up soon."

"Yeah, our finals are next week."

"You nervous? Of course not, that was silly of me to ask. You're a rocket scientist. You are probably gonna pass all your tests. A plus plus plus. Then, you'll marry Caroline and live happily ever after or as happily as you can with someone with such a sour of a disposition as her." Georgie giggled.

Will was on high alert. His sister was acting weird. She was all giggly and although he knew Georgiana had never been a fan of Caroline's she'd never uttered a disparaging word against her. This wasn't the sister he knew. Something had changed and he was going to find out what it was.

"I'm going to use your bathroom."

"Wait!" Georgiana cried, trying to block him from entering. "Let me clean up in there a bit first."

Will ignored her as he opened the door and found what he was pretty sure was causing her sudden change in mood on the counter.

Picking the bottles off the counter, he read the labels. "Adderall. Zoloft. Who is prescribing you these medicines? I am your legal guardian. I'm supposed to be contacted whenever you visit the doctor."

"I'm having trouble staying focused and staying on top of my schoolwork. My friends said Adderall would help with that."

"So you're taking a medication for people typically diagnosed with ADHD?"

"I mean that's probably what's wrong with me."

"You don't take this type of drug without a diagnosis from a doctor. It's not safe. And Zoloft too?"

"It helps with the anxiety. There's just so much pressure right now, Will. To make good grades. To be this musical prodigy. It doesn't come easily to me. I don't have mom and dad around like you did. I'm sorry I'm not perfect."

Will bit his cheek. Half of him wanted to scream and shout that things didn't come easily to him either. Heck, he was a 25 year old in charge of his baby sister. He should be living carefree. Charles had invited everyone to spend the weekend on his yacht. He'd much rather be spending time with them instead of dealing with his sister's drug problem. He wanted to yell and scream and pour out all his resentment about having to grow up so fast. But he didn't. Because the other half of him always won. The one that was responsible and caring. The one that knew that family was and always would be the most important thing in his life.

Taking the bottles, he emptied them into the toilet and flushed. Turning towards her, he said, "This stops today" before throwing the bottles in the trash.

Georgiana nodded mutely before being encircled in his embrace. "I'm sorry Will. I'll do better. I promise."

* * *

 

The next day Will returned to check on his sister. He'd had a conversation with the headmistress earlier asking for an extra close eye to be kept on Georgiana. He planned on checking in with her more frequently too over the next couple of weeks. Then, she'd come home over the summer and have time to fully heal from all this mess.

As he turned down the corner of his sister's hallway, his eyes fell upon a sight that was even more horrific than finding prescription pills in his sister's bathroom.

Seeing red, Darcy lunged forward, pulling George Wickham from the arms of his sister. Spinning him around, he punched George square in the jaw. "Get the hell out of here!" he roared, pushing him towards the exit.

Grabbing Georgiana by the elbow, he took her inside her room and slammed the door.

"Will…" Georgiana said nervously as her brother paced the floor.

"What is he doing here?" he snapped.

"He comes to see me sometimes. We talk on Twitter and Snapchat sometimes. I get lonely here. It's nice to talk to someone I know from home."

"I don't want you seeing him anymore," Will barked.

"It's harmless…"

"Harmless? He was kissing you! You're 14. He's 25. That's illegal in every state. No matter what you feel for him or what he pretends to feel for you. It's not right and you know it."

Tears slipped down Georgiana's cheeks. "It's just I want to be in love so bad. To have what mom and dad have. I thought with George…"

"Georgie, he's preying on you. It's not your fault. He's taking advantage of your youth and naiveté to get at what he really wants…our money. But I won't stand for it. I'm pressing charges."

"Will, no!" Georgiana gasped, grabbing his shirt. "Please don't do that. Let's just forget this ever happened. I'll stay away from him. I promise."

* * *

 

Will smiled as he watched his little sister play the piano. It was amazing what a couple of months could do. She was seeing a therapist regularly. She was shiny and happy and back to her old self. He'd taken her concerns into account and had decided the pressures of a traditional college prep school were too much. Her passions didn't lie there and it was causing unneeded stress so they'd done some research and decided that a performing arts boarding school would best suit her needs. She was enrolled in Walnut Hill for the fall and was beyond excited.

It was a beautiful summer evening. His friend from school, Charles Bingley along with his sisters, Caroline and Louisa, were here for a few weeks. He and Charles spent their days fishing, hunting and playing polo. In the evenings, they'd all gather together for dinner to listen to Georgiana perform and to play games.

He became increasingly aware as the days went by of Caroline's feelings for him. She was quite beautiful. Tall, brunette, impeccably dressed. She was just the sort of woman who would suit him and where he wanted to go in life which may or may not include a run for senate. He'd contemplated asking her out many times but could never bring himself to do it. There was something missing. There just wasn't that spark.

The doorbell rang as Georgiana played a piece that she had written over the summer.

"I wonder who that could be?" Caroline asked.

They found out soon enough as George Wickham entered the room unannounced with a harried and apologetic housekeeper behind him. Georgiana immediately quit playing. The silence in the room was deafening.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked, eyes shooting daggers at the other man.

"Just come to have a little chat with an old friend. Georgiana, you're looking lovely."

The urge to strangle George Wickham flowed through his veins, but years of self-control and strict adherence to decorum kept him reined in. Instead, he waved off the other other man. "We've said all we needed to say months ago. You should leave."

"I have something to show you," George smirked. "You will really want to see it."

Charles, ever a true and loyal friend, stood. "If Will asked you to leave, you should leave."

"It's OK Charles. I'm sure this will only take a minute," Will said before leading George to his study.

"So what's this all about?" Will said sitting in the chair that his father and grandfather had sat in before him. He was nervous. He didn't know what kind of crap George would pull. He prayed for the wisdom of his father to be with him today. To make all of this go away.

"I've got a little video to show you," George said taking out his phone.

Will sat and watched numbly as he witnessed his sister giggling, talking about school, and then swallowing handful of pills. He heard George's laugh and him calling it her fuel to get through the day.

"So?" Will said, trying to be nonchalant. He could already guess what this man was after. "This is not news. I know about it and Georgiana is doing much better now."

"She looks that way yes. Good for her. See I would hate for this video to be posted on Twitter or Instagram or something I know the media would eat it up. The Darcy name is untarnished. After this video is shown, I don't know if it still would be. But I've got bills to pay and leaking this might help me alleviate some of my debt."

"What do you want?"

"Two million dollars and I'll delete the video."

Bile rose up Will's throat. This man was a pile of garbage. In the digital age, he knew there was a 100% chance that George had multiple copies of this video in other places. His hands were tied. He'd do anything to protect Georgiana even if it meant paying this odious man off.

"Fine," he said. Grabbing a piece of paper, he scribbled quickly. "I want to watch you delete it from your phone and from the cloud. Then, I want you to sign this non-disclosure agreement that you won't show any other copies or talk about this ever again."

* * *

 

Georgiana knocked on his office door later that evening. He'd spent the past hour with a scotch in hand. Being blackmailed wasn't the greatest feeling in the world.

Charles had come in earlier to commiserate but Will hadn't shared any details with his friend. The general idea that George was a grade A douchebag yes, but he'd kept the specifics private. This was a family matter and it would stay that way.

"Hey," his sister said, meekly entering the room. "What happened?"

Will mentally debated whether or not to tell her what had really gone down, but eventually decided she needed to know so that in the future she could protect herself. "He had video of you taking pills and being visibly high. He wanted money. I gave it to him. I watched him delete the video and had him sign a non-disclosure. If he comes after you again, he's going to wish he'd never been born."

Georgiana's face crumpled. Covering her face with her hands, she wilted into a chair sobbing. "I'm so sorry, Will. I'm so sorry."

Will went over and patted her shoulder. "It's OK. It's OK, Georgie, it's OK."

"I'm such a terrible person to have put our family through this. I don't deserve to have an amazing brother like you. I'm so sorry, Will. I'm so sorry."

Will lifted her up and took her in his arms, rubbing her back. "Shhh. It's going to be alright. Everything will be alright. You're not the one to blame here. You made a bad choice, but you learned from your mistakes. George Wickham is the one who should feel ashamed, taking advantage of a fourteen-year-old."

"You know what's so pathetic? I thought he loved me. I thought I loved him. I'm never going to find anyone. I'm going to die alone."

Will couldn't help but laugh. "Georgie, you're fourteen. Much too young to have your fate so decided and final. You'll find someone I promise and he'll be worthy or he'll have me to answer to."

* * *

 

_Present day_

After brunch, Will, Georgiana, and Lizzy decided to take a walk in the park and let Jake blow off some of his pent up energy. Lizzy felt a little self-conscious as Will grabbed her hand and held on to it as they walked. Funny how they'd created a child together but had never held hands before this moment.

As they watched Jake play, Georgiana smiled and said, "He is just the cutest. I've only known him for a minute but I love him to pieces already. So Lizzy I've heard a little bit about you from Will but I'd love to hear about your family."

"Well, I have four sisters and of course, my mom and dad. My dad owns a hardware store a couple towns away. It's still kicking after all these years. You might have heard about my older sister Jane. She's 27. She teaches at the same school as me."

"Yeah, I've heard a lot about Jane. Charles was really quite crazy about her. Is she seeing anyone?"

Lizzy shook her head. "Not really."

"Charles isn't either. He's become quite the workaholic much like somebody else I know used to be," Georgiana said, motioning toward her brother. "But becoming a dad has changed all that."

"I just want to be half as good of a dad as my father was," Will admitted.

Lizzy squeezed his hand. "You are," she whispered.

"So Jane is still available for Charles," Georgiana continued, ignoring her brother's side eye. "What about your other sisters?"

"Mary is 24. She's a barista at Starbucks and takes an odd job every now and then. She's trying to save up enough to move out. Like you, she's into music but her tastes are a little more religious. Girl, plays a mean organ at church."

"Oh, I love all genres of music. I'd love to meet her one day."

"Maybe your parents and family could come to our home in New York for Christmas next week?" Will suggested.

"Oh, I don't know," Lizzy replied, a little taken aback at Will's sudden suggestion. "Everything is moving really fast."

"That's a great idea! It would be so nice to have the house buzzing with people again. Think about it will you? For me?" Georgiana begged.

"I'll call Jane and my parents and see what they think, but no promises," Lizzy answered.

"Wonderful!" Georgiana exclaimed. "Sorry. Got you off track. So there's Jane and Mary. Who are the other two?"

"Kitty is 23. She got married right out of high school to a guy named Jeremy Denny. He's in the air force. She lives with him and their 3 year old daughter on the base. She's expecting baby #2 in the spring. And finally, there's Lydia, the youngest. She just turned 21. She's bartending in New York City and models every now and then. That's her dream to be a model."

"You are all so different. I really do hope your family will be able to come over for Christmas."

"Well, I've told you about my family. What about yours? I know your parents died when you guys were kids. What were they like?" Lizzy asked eyeing Will. This was an area they didn't really discuss but she was desperate to know more about. She wanted to know all the things about him, good and bad, to build that intimacy she so longed for.

Will continued to hold Lizzy's hand in silence as Georgiana began. "Our parents were George and Anne Darcy and they were the world's best parents. I was only seven when they passed, but I have the most beautiful memories of them. We did all sorts of stuff together. We laughed. We had fun. Christmas was always the best time because we'd get like a dozen trees and put them all over the house. We'd decorate. We'd watch Christmas movies and drink hot cocoa. We'd bake cookies. It was mom's favorite time of year. Dad was kind of a pushover when it came to mom. He'd always agree to her every request and say "Anything that makes you smile, my darling." He and my mom were so in love."

Nudging Will gently, Lizzy asked, "What do you remember about your parents?"

Will swallowed before finally answering. "I remember how everybody absolutely loved them. They were charming, kind, generous. They were always throwing parties for different charities. Georgiana is the spitting image of my mom. Blonde, willowy, elegant. My mom was musical too. She loved to play the piano. I guess I look most like my dad. We used to go fishing or riding whenever we were at Pemberley. He taught me how to fence."

"You know how to fence?" Lizzy asked surprised.

"Yeah, he's really good at it," Georgiana chimed in. "He's got medals and trophies to prove it."

"You learn something new everyday," Lizzy breathed. "After your parents died, was it just you two? Do you have any other family?"

"We have an aunt, Catherine de Bourgh, and a cousin Anne. Aunt Cathy means well…" Georgiana began.

"But she sticks her nose where it doesn't belong," Will honestly finished.

"Did you say Catherine de Bourgh? Like of The Regency Hotel?"

"Yeah, that's her," Georgian replied.

Lizzy laughed. "My cousin William Collins is the manager at her hotel. He worships your aunt. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a shrine to her in his closet."

Will chuckled. "I run into him from time to time and he's definitely a brown noser. Didn't your friend Charlotte wind up with him?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Lizzy replied. "I really should go and see her soon. She's about to have her first baby in the next few weeks."

"Well, if we had Christmas at Pemberley, you could kill two birds with one stone," Will said. "You could see your friend and our families could meet and get to know each other."

"Yes," Georgiana nodded emphatically. "And you could meet my new boyfriend too."

"You never got a chance to tell me about him last night since Jake interrupted us. What's his name?" Will asked.

"Henry. Henry Crawford. I really think he's the one."


End file.
